Murderer, Book one: Darkest Nightmares
by Eaglestar of ShadeClan
Summary: Amberpaw's father was killed, by an unknown murderer.By the help of a fallen ThunderClan warrior, Bramblethorn she finds her killer and sets him straight. Will you join her in her adventure and battles with the lively apprentice?


**ThunderClan**

Leader: Brightstar

_Light brown tabby she-cat, bright green eyes._

_Mate, Duskstripe_

Deputy: Blizzardstorm

_White tabby tom, amber eyes._

Medicine cat: Birdwing

_Dark brown tabby she-cat, blue eyes._

Medicine cat apprentice: Mosspaw

_Calico she-cat, jade eyes._

Warriors: Crowfoot

_Black tabby tom with black paws, amber eyes._

_Apprentice, Amberpaw._

Duskstripe

_Light brown dappled tom, green eyes._

_Mate, Brightstar_

Darkstorm

_Black tom, blue eyes._

_Apprentice, Snowpaw._

Smokestripe

_Dark gray tabby tom, amber eyes._

Doveheart

_Pretty white she-cat, green eyes._

Ashleaf

_Gray she-cat, blue eyes._

Apprentices: Snowpaw

_White tom, blue eyes._

Lynxpaw

_Pretty light brown tabby she-cat, green eyes._

Amberpaw

_Pretty light brown dappled she-cat with white paws and under-belly, green eyes._

ShadowClan

Leader: Flintstar

_Dark gray speckled she-cat, amber eyes._

Deputy: Dawnsky

_Creamy-blue tabby she-cat, blue eyes._

_Mate, Scorchflame_

Medicine cat: Sparrowpool

_Dark brown tabby tom, green eyes._

_Apprentice, Shadepaw_

Warriors: Smoketalon

_Dark gray tabby tom, amber eyes._

Larkshade

_Silver and black tabby she-cat, green eyes._

_Apprentice, Spiderpaw._

Thornfang

_Golden brown tabby tom, gray-blue eyes._

Rosedapple

_Ginger dappled she-cat, bright green eyes._

_Apprentice, Ripplepaw._

Apprentices: Shadepaw

_Dark gray tom, amber eyes._

Spiderpaw

_Black tom with long limbs, green eyes._

RiverClan

Leader: Streamstar

_Dark gray tabby tom, amber eyes._

Deputy: Willowstream

_Light gray she-cat, blue eyes._

Medicine cat: Silverfrost

_Silver tabby she-cat with white paws, underbelly and chest, blue eyes._

_Apprentice, Reedstripe._

Warriors: Rainstorm

_Gray tom, green eyes._

Pineheart

_Reddish-brown tabby tom, amber eyes._

_Apprentice, Stonepaw._

Whitebird

_Pretty white she-cat, green eyes._

_Apprentice, Fernpaw._

Apprentices: Stonepaw

_Sleek dark gray tabby tom, blue eyes._

Fernpaw

_Dark gray she-cat, green eyes._

WindClan

Leader: Swiftstar

_Black she-cat with a white chest, amber eyes._

Deputy: Hawkheart

_Dark brown tabby tom, blue eyes._

Medicine cat: Flamepool

_Bright ginger tabby tom, sharp blue eyes._

Warriors: Eaglestrike

_Dark gray tabby tom, green eyes._

"I'm so excited!"a voice yowled, it was a light brown dappled she-cat. "Yes, Amberpaw, we've established this."another voice muttered. Amberpaw smiled and laughed "Sorry, Crowfoot,"she chuckled. The dark tabby warrior frowned "Focus on your training, Amberpaw!"he ordered, a slight annoyance in his tone.

Amberpaw sighed and looked around, opening her mouth, letting the forest scents hit the roof of her mouth. She blinked as a tangy scent of a mouse caught up into nose. A sudden rustle shook the bushes, she silently trotted towards the rustle, it was a mouse. She lowered her belly to the ground, she then thought about the Gathering. _I'm going to a Gathering! It's my third, but I'm still excited!.._ Amberpaw pounced, the mouse looked over and squeaked. It fled into his burrow. Amberpaw sighed "Foxdung!"she cursed under breath.

Crowfoot growled "Amberpaw! What's gotten into you? You need to do better next time, understand?"he growled. Amberpaw sighed "Sorry, Crowfoot...I'll try harder next time."she mumbled. Crowfoot nodded and looked up "Let's get back to camp, the Gathering's in a few minutes."he meowed and flicked his tail. He rose to his paws, as did Amberpaw. They went back to camp, Amberpaw bouncing on her paws with pure excitment.

Amberpaw crawled through the gorse tunnel, a smile curled her muzzle. She looked around for Brightstar, ThunderClan's leader. She was lined up with seven more cats, waiting paitently for Crowfoot and Amberpaw. Brightstar smiled at Amberpaw. Amberpaw paused. "Hey, Brightstar,"she purred and nuzzled her ear. Brightstar rasped her tounge along her muzzle "Hello, my little kit."she purred.

Amberpaw stood next to Brightstar "Let's go!"she yowled. Amberpaw turned to look at her mentor, the black tabby tom trotted after her. She turned to her mother. Brightstar and Amberpaw leaped over a log along with the other seven cats. Brightstar smiled as she paused. "Amberpaw, you must go in the back with your mentor,"she meowed. Amberpaw opened her mouth to protest when Brightstar held up her tail and the light brown dappled she-cat trotted towards Crowfoot.

She sighed and stood next to the black-pawed tom. Crowfoot dipped his head and the group walked in, tail and heads high. Amberpaw looked around for her friend, Stonepaw, a RiverClan apprentice. She spotted the gray sleek tabby and smiled "Stonepaw!"she called. The RiverClan apprentice turned and smiled "Hey, Amberpaw."he purred. "Stonepaw, how've you been?"she asked. Stonepaw shrugged "Fine, I guess. Fernpaw's been nagging me to stop being friends with you."he growled. Amberpaw nuzzled her shoulder "Don't worry, she won't mess our friendship up."she mewed.

She heard a yowl and turned her head to see Streamstar, RiverClan's leader sitting impaitently. Brightstar smiled "RiverClan would like to go first,"he growled. Brightstar nodded. Streamstar opened his mouth to be interupted by a wail. A large circle formed in the middle of the clearing. Loud gaps of horror rippled through the large group of cats. Amberpaw stared in pure horror at a bloody figure of a cat. The murderer was nowhere to be seen. And the cat she was staring at, what was her own father, Amberpaw let out a yowl of loss "Duskstripe!"she yowled. She trotted towards her father and nuzzled his bloody neck. She sighed and shook her head in distaste "Who did this!"she snarled.

"I will find who did this and will be killed!"she hissed. Brightstar jumped down to look at her dead mate, she pressed her fur against her daughter, Amberpaw. "Duskstripe will be mourned for tonight, I pray that he made it to StarClan safely,"she meowed loudly. Her eyes betrayed her tone, her bright green eyes were filled with pain and sorrow. Streamstar stared at the body, slight triumph in his eyes. Amberpaw growled "How could be satisfyed with a cat's death? You are a sick leader, StarClan should've never given you nine lives!"she snarled. Streamstar stared at her with disbeleif "How dare you question my authority!"he growled. Brightstar growled "Amberpaw, Streamstar, enough!"Brightstar meowed, "There's a treaty under the full moon,"She looked at the moon, it was covered with clouds "StarClan's already angry enough that a loyal warrior has died under the treaty."Brightstar meowed calmly, tail lashing slightly. "This meeting is over!"she yowled.

Cats cried in protest. Brightstar held up her tail and all went silent "It's already nearing to dawn, we must go back to our homes."Brightstar meowed, head turning towards her Clan. "ThunderClan,"she called.

Her Clan stood infront, beside, and back of her leaving space for her in the middle. She flicked her tail and they all padded home in sync. Amberpaw looked over at Crowfoot, he had Duskstripe in his jaws. Crowfoot had loss and sorrow in his eyes. Dusktripe was his best-friend.

Amberpaw sighed, staring at nothing. Crowfoot nudged her shoulder, her green eyes looked up at Crowfoot. He gave her a small smile and looked away.

The nine cats made it home, smiles and purrs of welcome rippled through the rest of the Clan, they changed into yowls of disbelief. Crowfoot set his dead friend's body, licking the dried blood off his cold and limp body. Birdwing padded out the medicine cat den to stare at her brother's body. She held back a wail, and turned into the shadows of the den.

"Cats of ThunderClan, a loyal warrior has left us and joined the ranks of StarClan. Those that were close to Duskstripe shall mourn over his body til' dawn."Brightstar meowed and put her nose into her mate's cold fur. Amberpaw and many warriors surrounded his body, nuzzling his fur and licking his nose.

Amberpaw lied down next to his body as well did, Brightstar, Birdwing, and Crowfoot. Amberpaw lied her head on her father's flank and closed her eyes.

_When she opened them, she was in a forest of green. She heard bird-song, she enjoyed it. She took in the scents of the forest and smiled, she bounced around humming. She spotted a dark brown tabby, he was very large. Her eyes widened and she dashed towards the tom "Duskstripe!"she yowled. She was mistaken, it was another cat._

_"Hello, Amberpaw."he meowed. Amberpaw confused opened her mouth and said. "Who are you? You look like Duskstripe,"_

_"I'm Bramblethorn. I am your kin and I'm here to help you find your father's murderer."Bramblethorn explained, starry eyes gleaming. Amberpaw nodded and growled "Who ever did this will be killed,"she growled. Bramblethorn shook his head and sighed "No, Amberpaw. No warrior must kill a cat to win their battles,"he mewed._

_He sighed again "Amberpaw sit,"he ordered softly. The spotted she-cat obeyed and sat down._

_"My mother was killed when I was your age,"he commenced. "I was devestated and so angry that I wanted to find my mother's killer and take their life. But I was visited by StarClan and told a clue 'Shadows battle Light, the shadows and light always fight but the darkness was to strong and took the life of light, now light is dull and lifeless.' at first I had to idea what that meant. But for a while I thought and thought and thought about it, I got it. The shadows meant Shadowstar and the light meant Lightheart, my mother. Apperantly they fought alot in battle, but he killed her. _

_"I was angry, so filled with fury I planned to kill him. But the same cat that gave me the clue told me not too. I obeyed the cat, regretting ever listening to the cat. I was killed by Shadowstar's wrath in a battle with ShadowClan. I joined the ranks of StarClan as a deputy."Bramblethorn finished. _

_Amberpaw sighed and nodded "I won't kill my father's murderer,"she mumbled. Bramblethorn smiled and nodded "I will train you,"he meowed. Amberpaw looked up, surprise on her face "I will train you a bit harder that Crowfoot, there's a war about to come, between ThunderClan and RiverClan."he meowed._

_Amberpaw felt a pang of worry _I can't fight, Stonepaw...I-I..I love him and I can't fight him!_ Amberpaw nodded "You must fight Streamstar, and I'll train you to do so."he meowed. Amberpaw once again confused looked at him "Why?"she asked. Bramblethorn smirked "You'll see,"he meowed._

_A strong mist whirled around Amberpaw and she opened her eyes._

She was curled up in the clearing, her father's body gone. She sighed and stood up, she trotted towards the apprentice's den, the moon was still high in the sky. She turned back and slipped out the entrance. She tracked her father's dead scent and found his grave. She sighed and looked for flowers, purple tulips were her father's favorite. She found the lilac plants growing next to red roses. She picked some tulips and trotted towards the grave. she set the flowers down.

"Father, may StarClan light your path and join the skies with them,"she meowed "I love you, and miss you."Amberpaw sighed and padded around. Taking a midnight hunt.

She caught a two mice and a rabbit. She purred quietly as she slipped back into the camp, her kills firmly gripped into her jaws. She set it down in the fresh-kill pile. She trotted towards the apprentice's den.

"Amberpaw, Crowfoot, Snowpaw, Ashleaf and Darkstorm. You will be on the dawn patrol,"a voice meowed. Amberpaw sighed and groaned "I'm too tired!"Amberpaw protested, eyes dull with weariness. "Amberpaw, warriors don't complain."Blizzardstorm meowed. Amberpaw sighed and nodded "Fine!"she hissed and trotted towards her mentor and Snowpaw.

Amberpaw growled deeply "What's the matter kittypet? Kittypet to tired because they've been up all night thinking about daddy kittypet?"Snowpaw sneered. Amberpaw hissed with fury "Shut up Snowpaw!"she snarled. Snowpaw snickered "I'm so scared, kittypet's getting angry! Run for your lives!"he laughed. Amberpaw growled, she unsheathed her claws. "Snowpaw, hold your tounge or I'll tear it out for you!"Darkstorm snarled.

The white apprentice was silent. Amberpaw kneaded her claws into the ground and walked next to Crowfoot. Her eyes weary. Crowfoot nudged her shoulder "You should've gotten some sleep."he hissed. Amberpaw nodded and yawned "I know, but I wanted to visit my father."she meowed. Crowfoot sighed and trotted towards Darkstorm. Snowpaw was in the back with Amberpaw.

Amberpaw looked towards her mentor, his amber eyes staring at Ashleaf with interest. Amberpaw smiled and glanced at Snowpaw. The stuck up

The patrol went on til' sunhigh and returned to the camp. Amberpaw trotted towards Crowfoot. "Are we training?"she asked. The black tabby warrior nodded "We'll be battle training,"he meowed. Amberpaw smiled and followed the tom to the SandyHollow.

"Now, we've been working on basics for three moons. It's time for you to learn the Lightning Strike."he meowed. Amberpaw smiled and nodded "I'm ready,"she purred.

Hours passed, the sun as setting, painting auburn and pink streaks across the sky, endlessly. The clouds were tainted with the orange and bright pink colors, making it look like a beautiful well-painted picture.

Amberpaw panted heavily "You mastered the Lightning Strike,"Crowfoot mewed, triumph in his voice "Can we battle train tomorrow?"Amberpaw asked, her flanks heaving. Crowfoot shook his head "I'm afraid not, tomorrow we'll be working on your hunting skills,"he growled. Amberpaw looked down at her white paws. "Back to camp."he ordered.

Amberpaw nodded and trotted towards the camp, it was only a few fox-lengths away. Amberpaw grew weary, her green eyes dull and almost lifeless. "Amberpaw, I think you should get some sleep,"Crowfoot suggested. He paused. "A good warrior gets his sleep, I won't take you on another patrol."He said.

Amberpaw sighed and smiled up at Crowfoot, weakly. He nudged her towards the apprentice's den. Amberpaw glanced at him and nodded.

She glared at Snowpaw, who had been play fighting with Lynxpaw. She growled and she smirked "Hey, Lynxpaw."she mewed to her sister. The light brown tabby turned and smiled "Hey, Amberpaw."Lynxpaw beamed, yellow eyes glittering. Amberpaw hissed at Snowpaw as she passed "Lynxpaw! Why are you playing with this stuck-up, ice-hearted, mousedung?"she whispered. Lynxpaw shrugged "Dunno, he's nice to me,"Lynxpaw purred. "He always gives me flowers an brings my favorite piece of prey."She said, golden eyes shining.

Amberpaw growled "Foxdung!"she hissed. Lynxpaw shook her head slowly "Amberpaw, I love you. But he's really nice, you just need to know him better."she meowed and nuzzled Amberpaw and trotted away with Snowpaw.

Amberpaw sighed and curled up in her nest, she took one last glance around the den before she closed her heavy eye-lids. She snorted and finally slipped into darkness.

. . . . .

Few days past since Amberpaw's father died, it was hard but she managed to pull hersef together and train with both her mentor and her mentor in StarClan. Bramblethron taught her harder and more difficult fighting moves than Crowfoot, everytime she awoke she had new scars on her flank. Snowpaw was made a warrior, Snowfang. Lynxpaw was proud and they spent lots of time with Snowfang. Brightstar retired over grief and her age, leaving Blizzardstorm- Blizzardstar- the rank. Crowfoot was made new deputy.

Amberpaw sighed heavily and glared at the purring couple. She growled deeply before turning towards the fresh-kill pile. She moved around the kills with her paw looking for her favorite. _Ah ha! _Amberpaw picked up a rabbit and firmly gripped it in her jaws as she trotted towards the stump next to the apprentice's den. She ripped into her rabbit, it's fresh, meaty taste made her mouth water. She swallowed and caught a flash of dark gray out the entrance. Her green eyes filled with horror, she opened her jaws and let out a screech.

Warriors turned toward her to stare at the spooked she-cat. She sniffed the air, it smelled of..._RiverClan!_ "RiverClan is-" she was interupted by a screech that sounded like "_Attack!"._

RiverClan warriors poured out the entrance. Blizzardstar rushed out his den to his surprise, RiverClan was lunging after his warriors. The ThunderClan and RiverClan warriors collided in a fierce wave of claws and teeth. Lynxpaw was slashing the face of a reddish-brown tabby. Amberpaw decied she didn't need help. She turned her gaze towards a sleek dark gray tabby, her eyes fluttered with affection. "I can't fight, Stonepaw.."she growled.

Before she could turn and look around to see anybody for help she was pinned to the ground on her stomach. She squirmed from her attacker's grip. She turned her head slightly to see a dark gray tom. He grinned wide "Amberpaw, nice to see you."the tom chuckled.


End file.
